Cityscapes and last sculpture class (plus other ramblings)

As usual, as I try to clean up my work space....I start finding a few things to fool around with. I had some canvases that had horrible attempts at painting on them, so I painted them black or sepia and scribbled with paint and marker. Took me only a short time, I felt like I had accomplished something and yes...I still have to clean up the studio.



I've been cleaning my basement studio because I got this great new set of flat files - actually NOT new, but old. Got them for $100.00 from an architectural firm and had to pick them up by myself. It wasn't too hard actually, and I love them. I've put all my paper and flat paintings and pads of paper in here. I realize that I shouldn't have to buy paper or pads for another 100 years...I'm all set!!!


I had my last sculpture class on Friday night. I actually ended up liking this class - mostly because the instructor was so open and friendly and sincere. I remember the first night where we walked around the museum and I was tired...I thought I'd hate the class. But everyone was so friendly and open...I learned so much and not only about power tools. I learned more about planning an art piece, and how to look at something from more than one angle and to read meaning into a piece. That last part was the hardest for me, but as I listened to people critiquing my work, I began to realize that yes..I did mean that, and yes...perhaps it shows. This last night was to be a pizza night and a final critique - so I didn't think I'd do much. But sitting around waiting is not my cup of tea, so I started fooling around with clay, and developed this little piece. Of course, there was all kinds of talk about closing off, and opening up, and fences and walls and for the first time I simply opened up to the discussion and listened with an open mind.


Everything held together while the clay was wet but as it dried, it began to fall apart. So yesterday - instead of cleaning - I began to put it together again with tiny dabs of glue. I'm going to let it dry for a few weeks and then tweek the glue, and make it steady. I've found that working with stone and wood and clay posts challenges for assembly.

On a final note - just to gossip some more - we've had guys in our yard since Wednesday cleaning up from the Halloween storm. While we didn't have any house damage, we had about 20 big trees that got so damaged that they became dangerous - and had to come down. Plus about 30 little ones that snapped, or looked like they'd snap at the next storm. They've had chippers going and chainsaws and rakes, and other motorized things. It's been noisy and I can't believe how much they've had to do. Plus, insurance doesn't pay for this since we didn't have house damage....so it's costing a pretty penny. Merry Christmas honey...here's a pile of wood!!

That's it. Have a lovely sunday.